The Crew Dragon spacecraft will send 4 astronauts to the International Space Station

The Dragon spacecraft sent 4 astronauts to the International Space Station

The Dragon spacecraft sent 4 astronauts to the International Space Station. The number of people on the International Space Station once again reached 11. This is SpaceX’s fifth This is the first time for NASA to transport professional astronauts, and it is also the seventh manned flight of SpaceX so far. The Dragon spacecraft will send four astronauts to the International Space Station. The Dragon spacecraft sent 4 astronauts to the International Space Station 1

With the return of the Dragon spacecraft, only two days later, the new Dragon spacecraft set off again to carry out the "Crew4" mission, Beijing time on April 27 The Falcon 9 carrier rocket launched from Florida at 10:52, flew for about 16 hours, and entered the International Space Station at 8:15 on April 28.

The mission was carried out by three NASA astronauts Jael Lindgren, Bob Haines, Jessica Watkins and an ESA Italian astronaut Samantha Ke Ristoforetti, they will stay on the International Space Station for nine months, three months longer than the regular flight time.

In other words, there are currently 11 astronauts flying in orbit in the international space, and they are all professional astronauts, and the four astronauts on the "Crew3" mission The crew, which includes three NASA astronauts and a German ESA astronaut, will return to Earth next week aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

It is reported that the Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying out the manned flight this time is numbered C212. It is the first flight of the Liberty Crew Dragon spacecraft. It will bring four astronauts to the International Space Station. Many people are confused because Musk's SpaceX has previously announced the discontinuation of the Dragon spacecraft and has set its sights on the Starship. So why is there a new Dragon spacecraft? How can NASA astronauts enter the International Space Station without a Crew Dragon spacecraft?

We must know that SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is a commercial spacecraft, and NASA spent money to book the number of launches there. The current existing Dragon spacecraft is enough to meet the remaining NASA launches. mission, naturally they will not continue to produce Dragon spacecraft.

In fact, it can be seen from the last use of the Dragon spacecraft that the Ax-1 mission is completely commercial in nature, and the 17-day round-trip space flight of four space tourists has nothing to do with NASA. In other words, while completing the NASA contract, it can also take on other jobs. From this point of view, even if the Dragon spacecraft is discontinued, it means that it will be enough for the time being.

Because the Dragon spacecraft can be recycled and reused, after the Dragon spacecraft returns to Earth and is recycled, it can be used again with simple repairs.

Currently performing the "Crew3" mission in international space is the Endurance Dragon spacecraft, which is also its first flight. Previously, it was the Endeavor Dragon spacecraft that transported four space tourists to the International Space Station. Its third mission. The Endeavor Dragon spacecraft is SpaceX's first commercial manned space flight. It sent two astronauts to the International Space Station in 2020. It was also the first time in 10 years that American astronauts set off from homeland to the International Space Station. It was also from that time that no more Dependent on Russia's Soyuz manned spacecraft.

The Crew Dragon spacecraft that have currently flown missions include Endeavor, which has flown three times; Recovery, which has flown twice; Endurance, which has flown once; and Liberty, which has flown once. According to the design requirements, each Dragon spacecraft can carry out five space flights. Judging from the currently known Dragon spacecraft, it is enough to carry out many space missions. And we don’t know if SpaceX will still have “inventory” of Dragon spacecraft.

The rated passenger capacity of the Dragon spacecraft is 7, but it has always been used to transport four astronauts as a standard. During the first experiment, it transported two astronauts. So far, it has not been full. Mainly It is also related to the mission requirements. At the same time, the International Space Station cannot accommodate so many people for a long time, at least during the rest and sleep period.

In the era when the United States adapted to the space shuttle movement and astronauts entered the International Space Station, there were only 7 astronauts, which also led to the maximum number of astronauts on the International Space Station reaching 13.

After all, the Dragon spacecraft is a commercial manned spacecraft, so the overall look is a bit high-end, especially the interior is full of technology. If it were not like this, no one would spend 55 million. Purchase a "ship ticket" starting from US$1. For example, Axiom Space's Ax-1 mission sends space tourists to the International Space Station. In the future, the company may build a commercial space station, and the Dragon spacecraft may become the first choice. The Dragon spacecraft sent 4 astronauts to the International Space Station 2

At around 21:15 on April 27, Eastern Time, the hatch of the SpaceX manned Dragon spacecraft opened, and NASA manned spacecraft Crew-4 The mission features NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins, and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Samantha Cristoforetti aboard the International Space Station.

The number of people on the International Space Station once again reached 11. The remaining astronauts include Russian astronauts Oleg Artemyev, Sergey Korsakov, Denis Denis Matveev.

In addition, there are NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Thomas Marshburn, Kayla Barron from the Crew-3 mission, and the European Space Agency Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer. However, the stationing of 11 people is short-term. The four astronauts of the Crew-3 mission will return to Earth in a few days.

Crew-4 mission and Crew-3 mission astronauts

At 3:52 on April 27, Eastern Time, there were four crew members on the Crew-4 mission. The astronauts aboard SpaceX's new Crew Dragon spacecraft were launched by a Falcon 9 rocket from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft docked with the International Space Station at 19:37 on the 27th. They will carry out more than 200 research projects in the fields of materials science, health technology, plant science and more on the space station, conduct two space walks, and return to Earth this fall.

They will conduct research including the aging of the immune system, alternatives to concrete with organic materials, cardiopulmonary effects during and after long-term exposure to microgravity, and the use of artificial retinas to restore vision to patients with retinal degenerative diseases. Hydroponic and aeroponic technologies will also be used to grow plants to provide larger-scale crop production for future space exploration.

Since the first manned test flight of the Dragon spacecraft in 2020, this is the fifth time that SpaceX has transported professional astronauts for NASA. It is also the seventh manned flight of SpaceX so far. It has carried out space tourism business twice before. Tourists come and go. The Crew Dragon spacecraft sends four astronauts to the International Space Station 3

Jessica Watkins (Jessica Watkins) became the first black woman to perform a long-term mission on the International Space Station (ISS).

According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), on the morning of April 27, local time, Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX launched four astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon capsule. Sent into orbit. They will be on a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station.

The crew included Jessica Watkins, who made history as the first black woman to serve on a long-duration mission to the International Space Station.

Jessica Watkins (Photo source: BBC)

According to USA Today, the 33-year-old Watkins was interviewed "I think it's really just a tribute to the black female astronauts that have come before me and to the exciting future ahead," said

While in orbit, the crew will engage in scientific experiments and Space station maintenance work. According to NASA, the experiments will include studies of "immune system aging, organic material concrete replacement, and cardiorespiratory effects during and after long-term exposure to microgravity."

Watkins was born in Maryland on May 14, 1988. She is a NASA astronaut, geologist, diver and former U.S. Women's National Team rugby player. Watkins earned a bachelor's degree in geology and environmental science from Stanford University, where she was a member of the football team. After graduating from Stanford, Watkins earned a PhD in geology from UCLA.

In June 2017, Watkins was selected as NASA’s 22nd astronaut group. In November 2021, Watkins was selected as SpaceX’s Crew The fourth and final passenger of the Crew Dragon spacecraft on Mission -4, her first time in space.

Watkins is the first black woman to serve on a long-duration mission on the International Space Station, but she is not the first black woman to go into space.

According to US media reports in 2021, since the establishment of the International Space Station in 2000, only 7 of the people who have boarded the space station are black. Victor Glover, a Navy commander and test pilot who joined the NASA astronaut team in 2013, is the first black astronaut to perform a regular long-term mission on the International Space Station;

He will begin his mission in 2020 task. Victor Glover is a man born in California. Before Glover's visit to the International Space Station, six black astronauts stayed on the International Space Station for about 12 days.

According to reports, in 1983, Guyon S. Bluford became the first black American to go into space. In 1992, Mae Jemison became the first black woman in space.